The Sacred Trinity Treasures
by Pink-Green-White-4ever
Summary: Over a millennia ago one brave soul gave her life to protect something of incredible cosmic power from a ruthless alien race bent on conquering the universe. Hidden & protected for hundreds of years, the artifacts are now being hunted. Full summary inside
1. Prologue: The Past

**The Sacred Trinity Treasures  
****Prologue: **The Past  
**By:** Pink-Green-White-4ever  
**Last Revised:** June 19, 2007

**Summary:** Over a millennium ago one brave soul sacrificed her life to protect something of incredible cosmic power from a ruthless alien race bent on conquering the universe. Hidden and protected for hundreds of years by chosen guardians, the artifacts are now being hunted by the forces of good and evil. But the lines have blurred and no one's sure of anyone's true intentions anymore. Dark times are ahead.  
**Rating:** M, though may go higher  
**Ship:** you'll see  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own PR, nor do I own the legend of the Imperial Regalia of Japan.  
**Dedication:** To Shawn, because without you, I would have never attempted this one.

**Author's Note** 1: As posted on Wikipedia:

_The __Imperial Regalia of Japan__三種の神器__Sanshu no Jingi__), also known as the __Three Sacred Treasures__, consist of the sword, Kusanagi (__草薙劍__) (or possibly a replica of the original), the jewel or necklace of jewels, Yasakani no magatama (__八尺瓊曲玉__), and the mirror, Yata no kagami (__八咫鏡__). Also known as the __Three Sacred Treasures of Japan__, the regalia represent the three primary virtues: valor (the sword), wisdom (the mirror), and benevolence (the jewel). These may be connected with Buddhist thought._

_Due to the legendary status of these items, their locations are not confirmed, but it is commonly thought that the sword is located at Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya, the mirror is located in the Grand Shrine of Ise in Mie prefecture, and the jewel is located at Kokyo (the Imperial Palace) in Tokyo. One or more of these may not be the originals. The Yata no kagami is also said to be in the __Kashikodokoro__, one of the Three Palace_ Sanctuaries.

_Since 690, the presentation of these items to the Emperor by the priests at the shrine are a central part of the imperial enthronement ceremony. This ceremony is not public, and these items are by tradition only seen by the emperor and certain priests. Because of this, no known photographs or drawings exist._

_According to legend, these artifacts were brought by Ninigi-no-Mikoto, legendary ancestor of the Japanese imperial line, when his grandmother, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, sent him to pacify Japan. The origin of the items remain a question today. There is speculation that they are from Bronze Age China or Korea, which were among the first countries to reach Japan, where bronze was still unknown, near the threshold from prehistory to history. Traditionally, they were a symbol of the emperor's divinity as a descendant of Amaterasu, from which he derived legitimacy as paramount ruler of Japan._

_According to legend, when Amaterasu hid in a cave from her brother Susanoo, thus plunging the world in darkness, the goddess Ama-no-Uzume hung the mirror and jewels outside the cave and lured her out of the cave, at which point she saw her own reflection and was startled enough that the gods could pull her out of the cave. Susanoo later presented in apology to Amaterasu the sword, Kusanagi, which he had obtained from the body of an eight-headed serpent, Orochi._

_During the Northern and Southern dynasties period in the 14th century, the possession by the Southern Dynasty of the imperial regalia has led modern chroniclers to define that as the legitimate dynasty for purpose__s of reign names and genealogy._

**Author's Note 2**: Lots of credit goes to Shawn for some of these amazing ideas. So give him lots of love!

_Lyconian Jetpack_ – THANKS SHAWN!

_Chihaya - _consists of a dark red hakama, pleated pants, a white kimono shirt with very long and wide sleeves, and tabi socks. White or red ribbons often adorn their hair.

--

**Approximately 690 AD**

There was only one place left in the galaxy where the three powerful magical artifacts could be hidden safely, and she knew that only she could get them there. Her ship was badly damaged – she'd suffered multiple attacks from Shadow forces and their allies, her life support system was approaching critical - and despite having out maneuvered them, her pursuers were getting closer and closer by the hour. She knew that she would never again see her home, her family, or make it off the planet where she was heading. She would die there, but if it meant keeping the treasures she carried safe, then so be it.

Corrupt and unjust were her home world Government's current definition of order, and so she had to act on the preservation of her people despite the likely cost of her own life. The Shadow's endlessly violent war with her once peace loving home had done such damage that now the three artifacts of legend were sought to wage death on their mysterious enemy. When once using them was unthinkable, now under a guise of defense the artifacts would be used to conquer by the High Authority of her world.

Alas, her final desperate act would cripple their plans as the temple was now empty. The Guardian and the talisman were but memories, the temple vacant any clue of their whereabouts. The Shadow had to be stopped before all was lost. Not just for her home world, but the entire universe. They were a soul-less legion of darkness who devoured entire worlds in their quest for dominance, with no rhyme nor reason for the utter destruction they caused. Little was known of where they came from and when, only that they were without mercy.

It was rumored that Zordon of Eltar, the great warrior wizard who'd created the legendary, universally known protectors - the Power Rangers - had chosen a tiny, out of the way planet that was sparsely populated, to be his command post in the fight against evil. She wasn't sure if the rumor was true, but she had to take that chance. Her precious cargo couldn't fall into the hands of the corrupt members of her own government, nor could it fall into the hands of those known as The Shadow.

She heaved a sigh of relief when the planet came into view. It looked lovely with swirls of blue, green, white and brown all over it. Sitting back, she commanded the computer to locate one of the less populated areas so she could set down, preferably somewhere that she wouldn't be able to be found. It took the computer more than five minutes, but it finally beeped its answer to her before showing a holograph of the general area. It was a large land mass with what appeared to be islands off its coast. There were life forms located, but not many. "Perfect." Just as she was about to set course for the isle, her ship was rocked by what she knew to be laser fire and missiles. "Damn."

Taking evasive maneuvers, she managed to avoid the next couple of attacks, but she bit back a curse when she saw the large, heat-seeking missile headed her way. "Oh that's just perfect," she muttered to herself. Shaking her head, she fought to buy herself some time. Expertly, she cut all the systems inside her small craft except for the life support system. She'd made sure that the ship was headed for the destination she'd chosen before she raced back into the ship and grabbed the special case that contained her cargo. She quickly donned her Lyconian Jetpack and made ready to jump. As she opened the door, the tiny ship was rocked by the explosions set off from the missile hitting the hull. Taking a deep breath and holding onto the case tightly, she jumped from the door.

She found herself on her back as she dropped through the atmosphere, watching as her ship exploded and was surrounded by her pursuers. It would take them some time to realize she'd jumped, if they hadn't already, and it may just give her enough time. A scream tore from her lips as she righted herself and found that she was in a rapid free fall toward the ground. She worked to get her jetpack to start, and succeeded right before she hit the ground, hard, and passed out.

--

She was found by a young man some time later. Unfortunately, she'd been fatally injured in the fall, and knew that she would not make it for much longer. Even as sick as she was near the end of her life, she was amazed to find the young man who spoke to her spoke a dialect she very nearly understood. "You fell from the morning sky."

"I know," she softly responded, her lips parched and bleeding. "I was carrying something, did you find it?"

He nodded. "A large box."

She looked into his eyes, and thanks to years of training and honing her ability to read the heart and soul of a person, she knew he was a good person "I'm not going to make it," she softly whispered.

"I know." Even if she hadn't just fell from the sky hours before, literally landing in his lap, the young man knew just from the look of her, not to mention the sheer power radiating off her in waves that she was someone of great importance. Perhaps a goddess sent to help him find his destiny.

"I must ask for one more service of you."

"Anything you wish," he told her, knowing her time was very short.

She smiled sadly. "Take the box, separate the objects you find inside. Keep one and guard it with your life. Hide the others. Each generation, a new guardian must be chosen for each. No one but whomever you choose to guard the pieces, and those of your family may see them."

For a moment he was speechless. For a good portion of his young life, he'd been searching for a purpose, for a reason for his being alive, and in this woman's absolute final moment, she was entrusting him with a precious job, something to give his life meaning. He felt the weight of the responsibility settle into his heart, and knew he would do as asked. "I will guard them with my life."

"A time will come, when the foretold guardians - the true crane, the white falcon and the wolf - will come here and claim the artifacts in the box. Those who I've fought against will come here, seeking the artifacts, and will try to destroy your planet. Make sure the artifacts aren't found by anyone but the guardians, I beg of you. If they're found, it'll mean the destruction of all."

He tried to ease her pain by letting her sip water from a bowl, but she began to cough, hard, body-wracking coughs that soon had her leaning over and spitting up blood. "Promise me, please, promise me."

"I promise."

With those two words, he watched the life literally drain out of her body. He pulled back in surprise as her body began to glow an unnatural shade of pink, the light building in intensity until her body was blotted out by color. The pink made one final burst, making him cover his eyes as it started going hot white in color before dying down, leaving nothing but a handful of sand on the bed where a woman had just been. When he opened his eyes, he was shocked to find her gone, and his eyes immediately went to the black lacquered box in the corner.

--

**September 1997**

Her eyes remained tightly shut as she felt herself rematerialize on firm ground. It had been over a year since she'd last teleported such a long distance, the last time having been during the quest for Ninjor and the Temple of Power. She shook off the familiar queasiness and slowly opened her eyes, dropping her duffle bags by her feet and looking around.

The beautiful and serene environment around her surprised her. She found herself staring at buildings she'd only ever seen in photographs. "When he said he was sending me somewhere for help, I didn't think he was seriously sending me around the world from home," she gasped softly, spinning around slowly to take in the temple grounds.

"Welcome," a firm male voice announced, causing her to squeak and spin around to face its owner.

"Um, hi. I'm…"

His nod and words cut her off. "I know who you are, daughter of the Crane. Your arrival here is no surprise. The one of white magic has already spoken with me."

"Zordon."

"Yes. I am Master Ito, head priest of the Atsuta Shrine," he told her, bowing to her. Recognizing the gesture, Kimberly bowed back, deeply. "Come, I will get you settled, then I will show you around the shrine and we will discuss your training."

"Domo Arigato," she spoke in clear Japanese. Master Ito spoke nearly perfect English, the least she could do was say thank you in his own language.

"You are welcome, daughter of the Crane."

--

The days seemed to run together in an endless circle for her. She woke well before dawn to shower and dress for the day; she wore the traditional robes of a Shinto maiden, the chihaya. She prayed for hours on end, and then began her physical, mental and spiritual training in the afternoons with Master Ito. If Zordon hadn't told her some months before that this was necessary to undo the damage that had been done to her, she wouldn't have ever agreed to it.

The first few months were yet another layer in her lesson to make herself mentally strong. When she'd first began her training for Pan Globals, she'd suffered from major bouts of depression because she missed the familiar surroundings of home and family, not to mention her friends and being a Ranger. Seeing them right before their high school graduation had only increased the dark feelings within her, Maligore's magic not withstanding. All the major changes in her life for the last two years were almost too much to bear.

Gradually, she learned to block out everything, as she slowly struggled to accept what had happened to her, and then one by one she took each hurt and pain and disappointment and faced them in their own right. She knew she'd lost her innocence when she had become a Power Ranger, but the true extent of that had not been known to her until she'd come to Japan. In the serene mountains of Nagoya, she'd learned to face the demons of her past. They would always be with her, but she accepted that the darkness she'd once found in the boy she had loved beyond measure now dwelt deep within her, having been freed, if only momentarily, by Maligore and his evil magic. Of course, even the path to healing is spotted with obstacles that must be overcome.

She'd been sitting in the gardens, meditating, when a sharp pain burst through her, almost as if something had exploded inside her head just behind her eyes. All she would ever remember from that day, other than the horrible pain and her own screaming, was the deep seeded knowledge that Zordon was dead. Her last tie to the life she'd left behind was now gone, forever severed to spare the universe of the evil that had plagued it to that point.

Months of mourning had followed. She'd often wondered if the others had felt the searing pain, the horrible guilt, and the raging grief she had; she knew on some level they did, but only one had ever been linked to Zordon as she had been, so she knew her grief was probably only eclipsed by the other person who'd shared power with the Eltarian Wizard. On the eve of the new millennium, she finally tucked away the last vestiges of her childhood and youth into the recesses of her mind, truly accepting that they were her past, and that she must move forward into the future.

The years seemed to come and go with the changing of the seasons for her. She didn't call, didn't write, and didn't see anyone save for her family until the death of her best friend. She knew there were whispers from the others who'd shared the duty of protecting Earth with her when they'd seen her at the funeral home; she'd ignored them all, allowing the shock of how many teams had come after the originals wash over her. She didn't speak to any of them, except for Jason, Zack and Billy, the three who'd shared the burden of being the first with her and their now gone friend. She'd been grateful the three had withheld questions about where she'd been and what she was doing. She hadn't been ready to speak of her training, nor was she in the mood for it. The hardest of them to face, next to Trini's parents, had been Tommy.

She'd just stared at the man who'd once been the center of her very world when he'd been an unsure teenager. Years had changed him, just as they'd changed her, but the moment he'd reached out to hold her, it shot her back to a time when she'd craved his touch over everything else, when she'd wanted nothing more than to be safe and secure in his arms. It hurt her to realize that the center of her world was no longer the boy who'd been on the verge of manhood, or the feelings he'd brought out in her. The hurt she'd caused him was forgotten for a few moments while he held her and they shared the pain of having lost a friend. She didn't cry, she just soaked in the presence of someone who'd once known her better than she probably knew herself.

Once Trini had been buried, she had quietly slipped out of town again, making sure the others didn't see her go, and returned to Japan to begin training again. However, she'd left a note for each of her friends to find, letting them know that she wouldn't go another five years without contacting them to let them know she was okay.

The years passed quickly, her training growing more and more intense as the months, weeks and days flew by. Eventually, Master Ito deemed her ready to leave the temple, and so she did, but she didn't go far. She settled in Tokyo, began taking courses at the university, and earned a degree in an accelerated time. With her degree in hand, she opened her own antiques shop, and this is where our story begins.

--

**In the next chapter:**

Old heroes return, new villains appear, a new mission is laid out, and someone takes a dive off a balcony.


	2. Chapter 1: A New Role To Play

**The Sacred Trinity Treasures  
Chapter 1: **A New Role To Play  
**By:** Pink-Green-White-4ever  
**Last Revised:** July 4, 2007

**Summary:** Over a millennium ago one brave soul sacrificed her life to protect something of incredible cosmic power from a ruthless alien race bent on conquering the universe. Hidden and protected for hundreds of years by chosen guardians, the artifacts are now being hunted by the forces of good and evil. But the lines have blurred and no one's sure of anyone's true intentions anymore. Dark times are ahead.  
**Rating:** M, though may go higher  
**Ship:** you'll see  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own PR, nor do I own the legend of the Imperial Regalia of Japan.

**Dedication:** To Shawn, the big brother I should have gotten and my mentor in throwing myself into something new and completely out of my element. You have no idea how much your encouragement means, because I never would have tried this without you.

**Author's Note** 1: As posted on Wikipedia:

_The __Imperial Regalia of Japan__三種の神器__Sanshu no Jingi__), also known as the __Three Sacred Treasures__, consist of the sword, Kusanagi (__草薙劍__) (or possibly a replica of the original), the jewel or necklace of jewels, Yasakani no magatama (__八尺瓊曲玉__), and the mirror, Yata no kagami (__八咫鏡__). Also known as the __Three Sacred Treasures of Japan__, the regalia represent the three primary virtues: valor (the sword), wisdom (the mirror), and benevolence (the jewel). These may be connected with Buddhist thought._

_Due to the legendary status of these items, their locations are not confirmed, but it is commonly thought that the sword is located at Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya, the mirror is located in the Grand Shrine of Ise in Mie prefecture, and the jewel is located at Kokyo (the Imperial Palace) in Tokyo. One or more of these may not be the originals. The Yata no kagami is also said to be in the __Kashikodokoro__, one of the Three Palace_ Sanctuaries.

_Since 690, the presentation of these items to the Emperor by the priests at the shrine are a central part of the imperial enthronement ceremony. This ceremony is not public, and these items are by tradition only seen by the emperor and certain priests. Because of this, no known photographs or drawings exist._

_According to legend, these artifacts were brought by Ninigi-no-Mikoto, legendary ancestor of the Japanese imperial line, when his grandmother, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, sent him to pacify Japan. The origin of the items remain a question today. There is speculation that they are from Bronze Age China or Korea, which were among the first countries to reach Japan, where bronze was still unknown, near the threshold from prehistory to history. Traditionally, they were a symbol of the emperor's divinity as a descendant of Amaterasu, from which he derived legitimacy as paramount ruler of Japan._

_According to legend, when Amaterasu hid in a cave from her brother Susanoo, thus plunging the world in darkness, the goddess Ama-no-Uzume hung the mirror and jewels outside the cave and lured her out of the cave, at which point she saw her own reflection and was startled enough that the gods could pull her out of the cave. Susanoo later presented in apology to Amaterasu the sword, Kusanagi, which he had obtained from the body of an eight-headed serpent, Orochi._

_During the Northern and Southern dynasties period in the 14th century, the possession by the Southern Dynasty of the imperial regalia has led modern chroniclers to define that as the legitimate dynasty for purposes of reign names and genealogy._

**Author's Note 2**: Lots of credit goes to Shawn for some of these amazing ideas. So give him lots of love!

--

**Tokyo, Japan  
June 2007**

A thin hand tipped in rounded, unpolished nails flexed against the window of the apartment in downtown Tokyo while the rain poured outside. The owner of the hand held the letter she'd just received against her heart and let her grief have its way. He was dead. The man, who'd given her another chance at life, had passed on into the spiritual realm. And she hadn't been there to say goodbye. It was an all too familiar guilt that engulfed her. It reminded her of another man, one just as important to her, one who'd shaped her life, who'd given her a second chance at it, who had died before she could say goodbye. Only this time the sweet ache of knowing her mentor had given his life in order to save those around him did not come. No, this mentor, this human, had not given his life; it had been brutally taken from him. It was not like the alien wizard who'd set her on an amazing and unbelievable adventure as a teenager. The priest who was now in charge of the shrine where she'd spent the last few years of her life had sent her a letter, requesting she come back at once. Her mentor had left strict instructions that needed to be followed after his death, and no matter how much it would hurt to return to the place where she'd last seen him, she knew she would anyways; if for no other reason that to honor his memory.

Shaking her head, she turned from the window and moved back into the depths of her unusually large apartment to begin packing for the long journey back to the shrine.

--

**Narita International Airport  
Tokyo, Japan**

"Konnichi-wa, Shiro Hayabusa," a young Japanese man in his early twenties greeted the American who was only a few years older than him at the baggage claim.

"Konnichi-wa, Motoki-san," the man returned the greeting, bowing formally to his guide, who returned the bow. The American was tall, with dark brown hair that was spiked, a body that was lean but muscular, and his eyes were a dark brown that women loved to drown in.

The younger man smiled, the gesture looking almost freakishly evil. The American narrowed his gaze on his guide. "Welcome to Japan. Did you have a pleasant trip?"

The white man nodded. "As pleasant as one could have with being stuck in cramped quarters for ten hours." The younger man nodded. "I want to drop my bags off and then get started finding the objects."

"Of course. Follow me."

When the pair got outside, a van was waiting for them. Quietly, they got the bags into the back before the driver headed for the hotel where their group was staying. "Please, Shiro Hayabusa, tell me how I should introduce you to our sponsors."

"My name is Dr. Thomas Oliver, PhD. I was born in California. I moved around a lot as a child. I'd rather keep my childhood and youth off limits for discussion. Understood?"

"Is it true you lived in Angel Grove, home of the Original Power Rangers?" the young man asked, genuinely curious.

Tommy nodded. "Yes. I earned my doctorate in Paleontology approximately four years ago, and yes, I've worked for Mercer Industries, before you ask. Now, however, I have no ties with them, or their founder, Anton Mercer." 'Other than my monthly phone calls to Trent in New York to make sure he's doing okay' Tommy thought wryly. He still kept very much in contact with his four protégés. Surprisingly enough, Conner had moved to New York the year before and he and Kira were now dating. His bid to start soccer camps in California had been successful and had gained national attention, so now he was shifting his efforts to the under privileged children in New York's toughest neighborhoods. Ethan was attending MIT for his Masters, having graduated in the spring with his Bachelor's from Reefside Tech. Kira was going to school and pursuing her singing career, and Trent was finishing up his degree in Art and would soon be going to work with Carson Brady at the comic book company Carson had started.

"And you were a teacher as well?"

Tommy gave him a look that spoke volumes. "And will be again when this is over. I'm only here to help recover the artifacts, and then I'm back to my life."

The young man eyed him carefully, unsure how to take the dark promise he heard in Tommy's voice. "The Baron said you were also a martial arts master. Is that true?"

"I've studied since I was very young, well over twenty years now. If I haven't mastered some of it by now, then there's no hope for me."

"Good. You'll need that training, I can promise you."

"I can hold my own, don't worry. I may look like a book worm, but looks can be deceiving."

"Yes they can be."

Tommy curtly nodded and sat back against his seat. He'd dreamed about coming to Japan for years, only his dreams hadn't included a life or death situation for possibly the entire planet thanks to three artifacts that were said to rival the Zeo Crystal in Power. He still couldn't fathom how he'd gone from the simplicity of teaching high school science a few months before to being embroiled in intrigue and danger in Japan of all places.

--

**2 Days Later  
Atsuta Shrine  
Nagoya, Japan**

She left her belongings with two priests who'd welcomed her at the gates, knowing they'd be taken directly to her room. She quietly walked the halls of the shrine, looking for the man who'd summoned her. She found him in the main prayer room cleaning the altar and the surrounding area. "Mana-zuru," he murmured when she entered.

"Master."

"Come, young one, I have a letter for you to read, and I have the tools you'll need on your mission," he spoke softly, moving from the room to the hallway and then into the deep recesses of the shrine.

She silently followed him, knowing she needed to gather her thoughts. The walk helped her, as it had many times before with her old master, who she was here to honor. She wanted to ask what the priest meant by mission, but she bit her lip. If there was anything she'd learned from the adventures of her youth, it was that everything you needed to know was revealed in time, you just had to be patient.

When they arrived at his rooms, she waited patiently outside until he came back out, carrying a lacquered box and a letter that was sealed with candle wax and marked with the old master's seal. "Take these to your room, read the letter, and in the morning, I wish to speak with you about your decision."

She was surprised when he handed the letter and the box to her, bowed, and then disappeared back into his room, shutting the door. Shaking her head, she turned and slowly moved from the hallway to the other side of the shrine where her room was. It wasn't until she got to her room that she realized she hadn't seen a single priest in the hallways.

Sighing, she moved into her room, shut the door, and looked at the box and the letter with a sense of dread pooling in her stomach and tightening her chest.

--

**The Next Morning  
The Imperial Hotel  
Tokyo, Japan**

Tommy woke from his sleep and was immediately on alert. Every fiber in his body vibrated like it hadn't in years. The last time he'd felt like this had been…he cut the thought off and sighed. He didn't want to think about HER. He hadn't since she'd dropped off the face of the Earth a second time after Trini's death.

He pushed up from the bed and made his way to the bathroom, taking his time to shower and shave. When he was done, he emerged and dressed in khaki pants and a black polo. Quietly, he put some coffee on to brew while he pulled out his laptop and began to connect to the internet, so he could check in with Hayley and Jason, to update them on what he knew. He was just finishing up his mini report when the coffee maker beeped.

Shaking his head, he took his cup of coffee out onto the balcony of his room. Just as he was about to take a sip, the cup slipped from his hand and he felt his insides tighten, a shrill cry sounding in his head. 'Why now?' he thought, recognizing the cry as one he hadn't heard since 1995, when Rita and Zedd had started taking the power of the Pink Ranger – it was the cry of the Crane. He felt and heard it in a way he'd only ever be able to connect with one person.

"Kimberly…"

--

**Atsuta Shrine  
Nagoya, Japan**

She felt like a dump truck had run over her, several times. She was sore from head to toe, her head pounded, and her heart felt like it was breaking all over again. While some of it was due to her rapid travel the night before, as well as some being due to the loss of her teacher, the rest of it had to do with the loud, vocal cry she heard in her head and felt in her heart. 'The Falcon?' she thought, confusion washing through her. She hadn't felt Tommy in so long; it was almost painful to feel him now. 'Why now?'

Pushing herself up from her bed, which was a traditional tatami mat, and headed for her bathroom. She wasn't use to sleeping on the floor, especially since her apartment had a feathered bed, and she knew it would take at least ten good minutes in the shower to work out the kinks.

Once she was out of the shower, she carefully dressed in the robes that she'd laid out the night before. No longer did she wear the chihaya, as she had when she'd first come to the temple. Now she wore a traditional kimono in a soft pink. It was decorated with beautiful white cranes and cherry blossoms. Once her kimono was on, she carefully slipped on her sandals and made her way out of the room, her destination the main room of the shrine where the Priests would be gathered in prayer.

"Master Tama," she softly spoke as she bowed deeply to him. He bowed back.

"Have you read the scroll?"

"Yes, but I don't understand," she spoke, her elegant voice not once showing her American accent.

"Then come. I shall explain." His sentences were short, but the command in them was not to be argued with. As the pair left the room, the Priest was silent. "As you know, Master Ito came from a long line of priests who resided here, protecting an ancient treasure, meant to be seen only by the Emperor. Each time an Emperor is crowned, the guardian priest presented the Emperor with the treasure."

"There are three treasures, known as the Imperial Regalia. I thought it was a myth," she started. She should know; she had majored in antiques and ancient treasures at the University.

"And to the public, they shall remain a myth," he told her, his words causing her to nod. "But to those of us who have been entrusted to guard them with our lives, Master Ito's death was a stark reminder that there are forces outside of our very world that seek the Regalia, to use them for evil purposes."

"What does this have to do with me? I hung up my superhero spandex a long time ago," she reminded him.

"There is a legend that dates back to the first time the treasures were presented to the Emperor," he spoke softly as they passed a group of visitors to the shrine. "The legend states that a time will come, when the foretold guardians - the Mana-zuru, the Shiro Hayabusa, and the Ookami - will come here and claim the treasures."

Her eyes widened as she stopped and stared at him. "Mana-zuru ….my…"

"Yes. The first Japanese guardian of the treasures was told to separate them, so they did not fall into the wrong hands. However, I know only of one of the treasures, the others are hidden elsewhere. Their true whereabouts are known only to those who guard them, though there is much speculation as to where they reside. I do know that all of them are somewhere in Japan, or are each time a new Emperor is crowned. And as it stands, Master Ito never had the opportunity to tell me exactly where the one he guarded was hidden."

Shaking her head, the auburn haired woman looked off into the distance. "I still don't understand what this all has to do with me."

"You are a foretold guardian, Mana-zuru. You will join with the Shiro Hayabusa and the Ookami to find the treasures, to protect them. There are forces coming to our world, if they are not already here, to retrieve the treasures and use them for domination of all beings. They must be protected at all costs."

"I'm not a guardian, let alone worthy of protecting something so precious," she all but hissed at him. "I'm sure Master Ito…"

"Told me of the courage you fought with, against forces that sought to destroy this world and countless others. He told me of the sacrifices, both physical and spiritual, that you made in the fight against that which sought to destroy us. I agree with what Master Ito once told me, I can think of no other I would entrust this duty to."

She glared at him in contempt. She had spent ten years trying to find the peace of mind that her life was once again where it should be; ten years of struggling with the demons of her past, ten years of building a life for herself separate from the one she once lived. Master Tama was asking for more than she could possibly give him; she had nothing of what she'd once been in her, and she no longer sought the thrill of the danger and adventures she'd had in her youth.

"No."

"I will give you one week to think this over, and then I will expect you to start looking for the treasures."

"No." She stood firm by her decision. She would not go back to that kind of life, not now, not after everything she's been through.

"One week, Mana-zuru."

--

**2 Days Later  
Kokyo Higashi Gyoen (The Imperial Palace East Gardens)  
Tokyo Japan**

He was in the foulest mood he could ever remember being in, and that said something, considering he'd been evil once, and that was pretty much foul moods twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, fifty two weeks a year….thank God he hadn't been evil longer than a few days. Shaking his head, Tommy turned his attention back to his guide. They were on their way to meet with the Baron, the man behind the Zephyr foundation, the man who had sought him out to help with this insane search for three magical treasures.

"Shiro Hayabusa?"

"Yes?"

"We have arrived."

Tommy was amazed to find himself staring at the entrance to the Imperial Gardens that surrounded the Palace where the Emperor lived. "I thought we…"

"Neutral ground," Motoki told him. "Besides, the treasures are closely linked with the Imperial family."

Oh the irony, Tommy thought wryly, making sure he nodded a response. The two of them got out of the van and headed toward the entrance to the East Gardens, which was where the public was allowed to go.

When they got to the Japanese Style garden, Motoki bowed to Tommy before turning and leaving. The former Power Ranger looked startled until he realized he was in the presence of the Baron. "Dr. Oliver."

The former Ranger leader steeled himself as the man simply known as the Baron joined him in a walk around the gardens. The man was tall, thin, but Tommy sensed an underlying power in him that, had he been a normal person, would have scared him. The Baron pulled off the distinguished gentleman role easily, but there was something in those black eyes that reminded Tommy of another person, in another time and place, one he'd tried desperately to bury. "I didn't except to see you here," Tommy told him.

The Baron smiled; it wasn't a gentle smile either, it was one laced with wickedness. Having spent so many years in Zordon's presence, Tommy felt that the Baron and the Zephyr Foundation had little, if any, of Earth's best interest at heart, and that was one of many reasons Tommy had agreed to this insanity. "I'm sure you didn't, but someone of some authority was needed to oversee our interests." When Tommy raised an eyebrow the man laughed. "Not that we don't believe you are incapable of handling the situation, but you understand where I'm coming from."

Unfortunately, Tommy could. How many times had he handled different things, thinking no one else was more capable of it than himself? "What's the plan? I assume you have a list of things that need to get done?"

"First thing on our agenda is proving the treasures are where they've been said to be," the Baron spoke, his cane tapping the rocks on the path they walked along.

"I don't understand," Tommy started. "I don't even know what the treasures are."

The Baron smiled. "Dr. Oliver, the treasures are also known as the Imperial Regalia of Japan; a sword, a jewel, and a mirror. They are said to have untold power when combined together, however, most scholars believe they are but myth, since no picture or sketch exists of them, nor has anyone but the Emperor or the priests at the three temples where they are supposedly hid, seen them."

"You're looking for three mythological items?" Tommy asked in disbelief.

"I have proof that they are real," the Baron told him. "The proof is as concrete as the information I showed you when you were…deciding…..on joining us."

The former Ranger leader narrowed his gaze at the Baron. "I see. Where do we start?"

"I have scrolls being delivered to your hotel room; make sure no one but you get to see what they contain. Motoki-san will know how to reach me when you're ready to begin searching."

--

**Kimberly's Apartment  
Tokyo, Japan**

The first thing she noticed when she got to her apartment door was that it was open a fraction of an inch. Her eyes narrowed as she set her bags down by the door and took a deep breath. Her building was generally a crime free place, and considering what she'd just learned, she had the sneaking suspicion that someone, or something, had broken into her apartment. Good thing she hadn't brought anything home from the shrine. Her body was on full alert as she pushed open the door and flipped on the lights. Teeth gritted, she began to roam her completely trashed apartment. Vases were shattered on the floor, lamps were tossed against walls, her couch was over-turned and her kitchen table had shattered through the sliding glass door to the balcony.

The kitchen didn't look much better than the living room. Dishes were pulled from cupboards and strew on the floor in pieces while the contents of her refrigerator, which was open, were spilling out, having spoiled while she was gone. Sighing, she headed for the bedroom, silently thanking her foresight in keeping most of her childhood mementos in storage. Her bedroom looked worse than the rest of her apartment. The bed had had a knife taken to it, while her nightstand was in splintered pieces across the room. Her clothes lay everywhere, many having been slashed with a knife or simply ripped apart.

"What a fucking mess," she muttered, crossing her bedroom to the bathroom. Her heart stopped when she saw the message on the bathroom mirror, one that looked like dried blood.

_We are watching. _

"Like I care," she growled, reaching out for a wash clothe to wipe the crap off her mirror. Once the bathroom was seemingly back in order, she wandered back out into the living room and then to the hallway to grab her bags. Once they were hauled in, she kicked the door shut with her foot and noticed that her answering machine was hanging off the back of the couch, the little red light blinking to let her know she had a message.

Shaking her head, she moved over and hit the play button. "Ms. Hart, this is the Zephyr Foundation. We'd like to speak to you about possibly procuring your expertise in finding a set of rare artifacts for our collection. If you are interested, please meet our representative in the Imperial Gardens on Sunday at three o'clock. Thank you."

Kimberly's eyes almost burned a whole through her answering machine. 'First Master Tama, now this; what the hell is so interesting about these stupid pieces?' she thought angrily. Realizing that she wasn't going to get anything done, she grabbed her purse and headed out, dinner sounding extremely good at that point, but her curiosity was also getting the better of her. After all, it was two o'clock Sunday, she had an hour to get to the Imperial Gardens for that meeting, if she decided she wanted to hear these people out.

--

**Kokyo Higashi Gyoen (The Imperial Palace East Gardens)  
Tokyo Japan**

The Imperial Gardens were bustling with people, as usual. The Inner Palace itself was closed, as was normal; it was only open two days a year, December 23, the Emperor's birthday, and New Years, which was January 2, but the East Gardens were opened year round to the public.

She had fifteen minutes to find her contact, but as she walked through the gates, she felt a rush of things – apprehension that she didn't know who her contact was, anger that once again someone was all but forcing her to do something she didn't want to do, and the last was….a tightening in her stomach, one that she'd gotten only once before, a long time ago. Shaking her head, she pushed through the slightly crowded path, brushing against several other patrons of the park.

"Excuse me miss," a gentleman said as he brushed against her. For a second, Kimberly's mind thought it was playing tricks on her. She could have sworn she knew that voice, or had, once upon a time. By the time her head whipped around to look at the man, he was lost in the crowd.

"There's no way in hell it could be….no one but Jason, Zack and Sha know where I'm at," she muttered, turning back toward the gardens.

--

Tommy wasn't even paying attention as he moved from the gardens through the path that led into them. He just wanted to get away from the Baron so he could think. He saw Motoki waiting for him near the sidewalk, and he set his sights on getting to him. His mind was a jumble of things that he didn't even see the petite woman he almost crashed into. "Excuse me miss," he murmured, brushing against her before picking up his pace toward his guide.

It wasn't until he was almost to Motoki that he felt his body still tingling. He abruptly stopped and swung around, looking for the woman he'd brushed against, but not seeing her in the sea of people. "I could have sworn…." he muttered.

"Shiro Hayabusa?" Motoki called. "Are you alright?"

Shaking his head, Tommy made a mental note to email Jason, just in case. "Yeah, I'm fine. Look, we need to go to the library; I need to read everything I can get my hands on that's published here in Japan about the artifacts. Then I need to get back and see the scrolls he's sending over."

"Of course. We'll get dinner and then head over. The library is open until ten o'clock."

--

The second she was inside the gardens, Kim felt like her skin was crawling. It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling; it was the same type of feeling she use to get whenever one of Zedd's plans had been meant for her. Paranoid now, on top of pissed off about the situation at hand, she found a bench not far from the entrance to sit on. One end was free while the other was occupied by a tall gentleman in a gray suit, who sat reading a newspaper. Sighing she approached him. "May I sit here?" she softly asked, gesturing to the empty space.

"Of course, my dear," he told her in a crisp voice. He wasn't Japanese, of that she was sure, but she couldn't tell if were British or American just from his looks and the simple response she'd gotten. "Is everything alright? You seem upset."

"I'm fine, thank you," she told him, settling down on the bench and taking a deep breath. He went back to reading his paper while she scanned the now sparsely populated entrance. As minutes ticked by, she got more and more irate that whoever had wanted to meet with her hadn't approached her.

"Excuse me miss, but I can't help but see that you look rather frazzled," the nice man said again, folding his paper in his lap. "Are you sure everything's alright?"

Kim tried to smile. "I was supposed to meet someone here, but apparently they're not coming."

"I see. Anyone who would keep someone as beautiful as you waiting is no gentleman," he told her easily.

The brunette blushed and tried to smile, but she suddenly got the feeling that she was still being watched. "I guess I've been stood up," she muttered. "Thank you for your kindness," she told the man, bowing to him before she turned to walk away.

"You know, Mana-zuru, you shouldn't be in such a hurry to judge your surroundings," he off-handedly told her, watching her over his paper as she stood ramrod straight and her body started shaking.

Carefully turning, she raised an eyebrow at him. "Excuse me?"

"Don't look so surprised, Ms. Hart. I know who you are, Pink Crane, and I know of your life before coming to this place. Why do you think I chose you to help me find what I'm looking for?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she responded, trying to deny what she saw in those eyes. He KNEW. No one had ever known, at least anyone that hadn't been one of them at some point. "I'm an antiques dealer; I don't know what you're getting at."

He stood up, folding his paper and tucking it under his arm in the process before he strode the short distance to her and stopped. "You don't think I don't know that Master Ito trained you on the Eltarian Wizard's request? I do. I know about that, and I know all about your extra curricular activities as a teenager. I know about the high tech vehicles, the plots and schemes to take over Earth, I even know about the pink spandex you wore on a nearly daily basis for three years, until it was all taken away from you."

Kimberly almost laughed in his face. This man was standing here, wanting her to do something for him, and he was threatening her with the knowledge of her past. He really had no clue about her, or the woman she'd become. "If you think threatening me, about my life as a teenager, is going to get me to work for you, you obviously don't know me as well as you thought." Her voice was barely a whisper, but it came off hard with an underlying anger. "Who in their right mind would believe you? After all, I was just a valley girl. I wasn't the type of person people thought of when they thought of that. And you have no proof."

"I have proof, I have tangible proof, and if you don't agree to help me find what I'm looking for, I can't be held responsible if that information, and the information of everyone who served with you, fell into the hands of the United States government."

It was one thing if it had just been her, but she had no idea if he was telling the truth about the others, and despite their years of separation, there was nothing she wouldn't do to protect her friends. They had lives, some of them very important, very public lives, and she wasn't about to let this crack pot take that away. They deserved peace and quiet.

The Baron watched her for a moment before he spoke again. "I'm not a cruel man, Ms. Hart, and I am sincerely not threatening you because I wish to harm you. I am simply in need of your assistance."

"And let me guess, you won't take no for an answer?" The sarcasm dripped from her voice. "Others have used that line with me before, and it didn't work." She strolled away from him before turning back, a wild look in her eyes. "What is it with you people not understanding that that part of my life is dead and gone? It died the day I left my home and family behind. I can't go back to that, but more, I refuse to live that life again. I'm not a hero; I never claimed to be one. I'll be of no use to you in whatever it is you think you so obviously need my help with."

He didn't speak; he just continued to watch her pace in front of him. "I swear, you'd think we put up with enough saving the damn world on a daily basis that even psychos like you would back off and leave us be even if you figured out who we were," she ranted.

"Ms. Hart, I'm in need of your expertise," he told her, interrupting her triad so that she stopped mid step and looked at him with questioning and somewhat intrigued gaze. "And I'm not above applying pressure to get it."

"Oh really?" Kim balked at that.

The Baron merely raised his hand, watching calmly as Kimberly noticed approximately twenty or so people suddenly appear out of no where and turn to him. They were all dressed in plain clothes and were of differing ethnic backgrounds, and she hadn't even known they were there. The man gave a nod and Kimberly saw each of them produce a weapon of some sort from a hidden place in their clothing. It astonished Kimberly that she hadn't known they were there, but then, she'd felt like she'd been watched since she stepped into the gardens.

"I'm searching for, shall we say, three artifacts of great power that have been considered myth until very recently."

"The Imperial Regalia?" she asked, arms folded across her chest and her hip cocked to the side as she stared at him. He tried to look surprised but she saw through it. "Oh please, you obviously know I knew about them, don't act stupid."

"You're right. You are an intelligent woman, and a talented antiques broker. Yes, I'm searching for the Imperial Regalia. I believe they are ancient artifacts hidden here many centuries ago that may be of great use in a conflict that's brewing on the horizon."

Kim let a sarcastic 'I can't believe you're still pursuing me about this' smile slide into place on her face. "What part of, I want no part of this, do you not understand? Find someone else."

"Ms. Hart, please, hear me out. I believe a war is coming, one that could rock the very foundation of your planet," he told her, watching her eyebrow lift in question and her brown eyes darken. "I have studied every aspect of you are – your training, your past, the way you run your business, everything. I truly believe you are one of two people who can help me find these artifacts, to help me stop the destruction of Earth. Besides that, I know how much you care for your family and friends."

Master Tama's words came back to her. '_There are forces coming to our world, if they are not already here, to retrieve the treasures and use them for domination of all beings. They must be protected at all costs.' _Kimberly shivered as she remembered the way he'd spoken them to her; she hated to admit it, but it had reminded her of Zordon on the rare occasions he'd delivered a foreboding message to them. Something inside of her, both her heart and the pit of her stomach, told her maybe she needed to take this seriously, not only for Earth but for the sake of her friends, their families, and her own. While the Rangers had experience in matters such as this, their families were merely innocents, and they had no knowledge of what had happened then, or what was happening now. There also had to be something real behind the myth about these artifacts, especially if there was an ancient prophecy about them….if there was one thing she'd learned as a Power Ranger, it was that Prophecies had a nasty way of coming true, whether you wanted them to or not. Better to be prepared for it, facing it head on, then to let it blind side her.

"For the sake of the moment, say I agree to help you with this," she told him, her eyes narrowing in on his face. "First, who the hell are you, and two, what the hell is this foundation and what exactly is this mission going to entail?"

The Baron smiled a smile that said he knew she was agreeing to it, even if at the moment it was only hypothetical. His first thought was she was as gullible as Dr. Oliver, his second thought was a momentary twinge at the fact that such a rare beauty would die before this was all over. "My name is Baron Zephyr, and the foundation derives its name from me. You could say we've taken it upon ourselves to make sure that Earth's best interests are looked after. As to the mission, you will be in charge of the team; I will simply put together whomever you decide upon from my group of specially trained agents. I have, however, one person already searching. I would like him to work with you. He has many of the same credentials, if you will, as you do. We have exactly two weeks to find out where the artifacts are and to retrieve them."

"Two weeks? You're giving me two weeks to verify three ancient, powerful, supposedly mythological artifacts are real, let alone in Japan? That's not enough time."

"I'm afraid that's all we can spare. War is very nearly upon us, we need those artifacts."

Kim glared at him then sighed. "I have to go somewhere, to check on a lead if you will. We can start in four days."

"Of course. I'll be in contact," he told her before he turned and strode away, leaving Kimberly staring at his back while a feeling of terror seemed to ball in her stomach.

"Four days, I sure hope Master Tama knows what the hell he's doing," she muttered before she started forward, her destination home.

--

**Kimberly's Apartment  
Tokyo, Japan**

There had been a time in her life when she'd been able to sleep through the familiar earthquakes that rocked California. That no longer rang true. The slightest shift in the world around her, especially just outside of her precious personal bubble, and she was instantly awake, which is why she was currently staring at the ceiling in her darkened bedroom as she listened to the sounds of what had to be at least five people in her living room. Any normal person would have been freaking out, not Kimberly. She'd had too much training ingrained in her to freak out. Using her old school, vaunted Ninja skills, she crept from her bed and headed for the door.

Her eyes went to where the light from the balcony usually shone under her door and counted at least two people standing before her door. She took several deep breaths, focused herself on the task at hand, and as she threw the door open, her body and mind instinctively going into battle mode, she felt someone's arms lock around her neck, a knife pressing to her neck. Quickly, she scanned the room and came up with a count of at least eight, with the possibility of more hiding elsewhere in the apartment.

"You know, people are really starting to piss me off," Kim remarked to no one in particular. She took a moment to observe them even as the one holding her pressed the knife closer to her throat. They were dressed in all black and even in the darkness of her apartment she could tell they weren't anywhere near close to being human. Arms, legs and necks seemed too elongated to be human, as did the fingers that held the knife at her throat. They stood probably close to six foot or better, and while were thin and lean, Kim could make out the muscles beneath, which reminded her of Adam, Billy and Tommy from their days as Rangers.

What's more, they had glowing red eyes. The outfits were also a dead give away. What little Kim caught in between flashes of light were tight, not quite spandex suits that looked very close to something a Ninja might wear. Some of them had weapons strapped to their backs – a crossbow, swords, etc – and some of them had those weapons drawn. Kimberly silently acknowledged that it wouldn't make her feel the least bit guilty if she had to kill any of these things, because it was seriously looking like she just might have to.

They didn't speak English, but even after a few seconds, Kim had picked what she supposed was the leader out of the group. He was the one standing furthest from her, just sort of nodding his head now and again as the others moved. "Boys, as much fun as it is being all touchy feely with you, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

The group jumped back as Kim brought her foot up fast and clean, managing to pull herself down out of the thing's grasp even as her toes impacted with its face. As it fell, Kim managed to roll to her feet and came up swinging, her fist smashing into the face of one that rushed her. With an ease born of practice, Kim launched herself over her couch and out of reach of them.

She came up standing next to the wall where she'd hung her antique sword rack. Silently thanking a higher power, Kim quickly snatched her favorite sword, a katana, off of the rack and spun her body around, the sharp blade slicing through the body behind her. She watched in startled fascination as the body of her attacker simply fell to the floor in a shower of gray dust. "Eww…gross."

The sudden movement in her peripheral vision caused her to snap her head up. The goons were heading for her and Kim realized she had little room to maneuver. Instinctively, she swiped out with her sword, catching the closest one at the neck and beheading it before it too hit the floor in a pile of gray dust.

The storm outside began to rage as loud and as bright as the fight inside was intense and tiring. Kim only had the flashes of lightening to use to see where her attackers were, so she had to heavily rely on her other senses, and what little power she had left over from her days as the Pink Ranger. She amazed even herself as she managed to launch herself into the air, tumble between the blades of two of the six that were left, with a sword in her hand. She popped back up and swung the sword with an uncanny sense of grace and finesse she hadn't been aware she'd be able to maintain in the middle of a fight to the death.

One more of her attackers exploded in a cloud of dust while her blade clashed with the other one who'd been right there swinging at her. It was at that point that Kim's eyes hit upon the balcony door, which she'd taped plastic garbage bags over before going to bed. The plastic had ripped off during the beginnings of the storm, leaving a gaping hole. An absurd idea sprang into her mind even as she parried the strikes of her opponent's blade. A shiver along her skin caused her to turn her head slightly, so that her eyes locked onto the figure holding up a crossbow aimed at her. "Shit!" she muttered, using as much of her upper body strength as she could to force the blade that was trying to hack at her up and away from her before she dropped down and gave a quick, clean leg sweep. With her opponent down, she didn't think she just ran towards the door.

She rammed right into the balcony rail, her gaze flicking back toward the crossbow and the five figures still coming at her. Her head swiveled quickly around as she looked down at the ten story drop off her balcony. The group inside was nearly halfway across the room, though the leader looked as though he'd ordered them to maintain their distance. Looking back, she decided she'd rather take her chances with jumping off the balcony than trying to fight five more of the weird things that were in her apartment. Training and being a former Ranger aside, even she knew when she was out numbered and slowly losing strength. It wasn't like she hadn't taken a few hits back there, because she had. As it was, her arms were throbbing from wielding the sword, even though she was more than proficient with it.

A tiny gasp escaped her as she felt something inside of her chest almost explode, warmth seeping into her that she hadn't felt in years. In her mind, she felt the urging of something that had lain dormant for far too long, and in her ears she heard the call of someone she was intimately familiar with. "Well, if I'm going to die, it's going to be on my own terms," she muttered as she surged back into the open doorway, gripped her sword, and then rushed toward the balcony's railing, launching herself into the air as if she were going to perform a tumbling pass from one of her old floor routines, her body gliding over the rail as she plummeted head first toward the ground.

The free fall caused her a moment of pure satisfaction until the terror set in and she realized she was falling ten stories to the ground. Closing her eyes, she waited for the inevitable, until, on a whim, she opened them again and found herself glowing the lightest of pinks. In a moment reminiscent of her days in spandex, she found herself righting her body and landing, quite literally, on her feet, sword still in hand. Shaking her head, she mumbled, "Don't question it, Kim, you may not like the answer," as she stood up and looked to her balcony where the five warriors stood watching her.

She stood there for a good minute, letting the rain sluice down over her, soaking her to the bone. There would be no going back to her apartment, at least not until this was all over with. As if sensing they were going to follow her, she turned and fled down a dark alley way, her bare feet slapping against the pavement as she ran, her destination unknown.

--

Japanese to English Word Meanings:

**Mana-zuru** - True Crane

**Shiro Hayabusa** - White Falcon

**Ookami** – Wolf

**Tatami mat** – traditional mat used in Japanese bedrooms

**Chihaya**_ - _consists of a dark red hakama, pleated pants, a white kimono shirt with very long and wide sleeves, and tabi socks. White or red ribbons often adorn the hair.

--

**Next chapter: **Another trip to a shrine, a well placed phone call, some insight to someone's background with the Zephyr Foundation, and probably another good fight.


	3. Chapter 2: Joining Forces

**The Sacred Trinity Treasures  
****Chapter 2: **Joining Forces  
**By:** Pink-Green-White-4ever  
**Last Revised:** March 23, 2009

**Summary:** Over a millennium ago one brave soul sacrificed her life to protect something of incredible cosmic power from a ruthless alien race bent on conquering the universe. Hidden and protected for hundreds of years by chosen guardians, the artifacts are now being hunted by the forces of good and evil. But the lines have blurred and no one's sure of anyone's true intentions anymore. Dark times are ahead.  
**Rating:** M, though may go higher  
**Ship:** you'll see  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own PR, nor do I own the legend of the Imperial Regalia of Japan.

**Dedication:** To Shawn, the big brother I should have gotten and my mentor in throwing myself into something new and completely out of my element. You have no idea how much your encouragement means, because I never would have tried this without you.

**Author's Note** 1: As posted on Wikipedia:

_The __Imperial Regalia of Japan__ (__三種の神器__,__Sanshu no Jingi__?__), also known as the __Three Sacred Treasures__, consist of the sword, Kusanagi (__草薙劍__) (or possibly a replica of the original), the jewel or necklace of jewels, Yasakani no magatama (__八尺瓊曲玉__), and the mirror, Yata no kagami (__八咫鏡__). Also known as the __Three Sacred Treasures of Japan__, the regalia represent the three primary virtues: valor (the sword), wisdom (the mirror), and benevolence (the jewel). These may be connected with Buddhist thought._

_Due to the legendary status of these items, their locations are not confirmed, but it is commonly thought that the sword is located at Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya, the mirror is located in the Grand Shrine of Ise in Mie prefecture, and the jewel is located at Kokyo (the Imperial Palace) in Tokyo. One or more of these may not be the originals. The Yata no kagami is also said to be in the __Kashikodokoro__, one of the Three Palace_ Sanctuaries.

_Since 690, the presentation of these items to the Emperor by the priests at the shrine are a central part of the imperial enthronement ceremony. This ceremony is not public, and these items are by tradition only seen by the emperor and certain priests. Because of this, no known photographs or drawings exist._

_According to legend, these artifacts were brought by Ninigi-no-Mikoto, legendary ancestor of the Japanese imperial line, when his grandmother, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, sent him to pacify Japan. The origin of the items remain a question today. There is speculation that they are from Bronze Age China or Korea, which were among the first countries to reach Japan, where bronze was still unknown, near the threshold from prehistory to history. Traditionally, they were a symbol of the emperor's divinity as a descendant of Amaterasu, from which he derived legitimacy as paramount ruler of Japan._

_According to legend, when Amaterasu hid in a cave from her brother Susanoo, thus plunging the world in darkness, the goddess Ama-no-Uzume hung the mirror and jewels outside the cave and lured her out of the cave, at which point she saw her own reflection and was startled enough that the gods could pull her out of the cave. Susanoo later presented in apology to Amaterasu the sword, Kusanagi, which he had obtained from the body of an eight-headed serpent, Orochi._

_During the Northern and Southern dynasties period in the 14th century, the possession by the Southern Dynasty of the imperial regalia has led modern chroniclers to define that as the legitimate dynasty for purposes of reign names and genealogy._

**Author's Note 2**: Lots of credit goes to Shawn for some of these amazing ideas. So give him lots of love!

--

**2:00 A.M.  
****The Imperial Hotel  
****Tokyo, Japan**

Accompanied by a billowing cloud of steam from his shower, Tommy padded into the main portion of his hotel suite. He had a towel draped over his shoulders and another secured tightly around his waist, beads of water still lingering on his well-toned chest and abdomen. His mind was going a mile a minute as he tossed the towel from his shoulders to the bed and then reached for his sweats. He stripped off the towel from his waist, slipped the sweats on, and then moved over to the table by the balcony where his computer was set up, and books, scrolls, pads of paper with unintelligible scribbles, and a handful of pens were scattered.

It was well past midnight, and he'd spent the better part of the evening pouring over all the books Motoki had checked out from the library plus the scrolls the Baron had sent over for him. So far, he was no further than when he'd started, hence the break to take a shower. Rolling his shoulders, he sat down at the table and got back to work. His first piece of business was to see if Jason and Hayley had emailed him back about what had been going on. Instead of finding an email from either of them, he found a new one from Kat sitting in his inbox. When he opened it, he saw it was a mass email to the entire team.

_Hey gang!_

_I hope this email finds you all in good spirits, particularly those of you not home in the States at the moment – Tanya, I hope the tour is going well, I'm sorry I missed your phone call. Jason said you sounded tired and slightly homesick. Remember that we're thinking about you. Billy – have you returned from London yet? Jason mentioned you were teaching at MIT, or would soon be. Please, give me or Jason, a call! Tommy, how's Japan? Jason said you'd run into a few unexpected problems…please tell me you're staying out of trouble, I don't think Jason, Hayley, or any of the rest of us can go another round of you in color coded spandex…Kimberly Ann, have you forgotten what a phone or an answering service is for? I mean, I know the time difference in Tokyo is sixteen hours, but even Tommy had time to send out emails…get in touch with one of us, please. Jason, Aisha and I are getting really worried._

_Okay, now that I'm done ranting, I have an important announcement to make. Jason and I are pregnant....correction - and yes Rocky, I know what you're going to say already – Jason is not technically pregnant, just me. ;P I just wanted to let you all know. I was going to call, but with everyone's hectic schedules, it's been impossible to find the time. I'm about two months along, so in seven months, God willing, we'll have a new baby Scott walking around._

_Well, it's just about time for me to head to work. We love and miss all of you, please get in touch!_

_All our love,_

_Kat and Jason_

Tommy couldn't help but shake his head. His best friends were going to be parents, who would have thought that would ever happen? He grinned as he shifted through the spam emails that had popped up, thinking of how happy Jason and Kat had to be. They'd been trying for well over a year to get pregnant, and now they were seven months away from holding their miracle in their arms. He was genuinely happy for them, but even as the happiness swelled, a tiny part of him was envious. Of all the members of their team, only he and Billy, as he was uncertain about Kim, were single. Billy was happy enough in his role as professor and consultant to the government that he'd often expressed how he had no desire to settle down. Tommy knew there had only been two women he himself had ever thought of settling down with – one of them was now married to his best friend and expecting his first niece or nephew, and the other he hadn't seen since Trini's funeral, nor had he heard much about her other than she was traveling and now was based out of Tokyo. If he wasn't so busy, he might have worked up the courage to go find her. Shaking his head, he turned back to his work.

He chewed his lip as he rifled through the c.d. selection he'd brought with him. Choosing one labeled _Tommy's Mix _in Kat's elegant handwriting, he sat back in his chair and thought about how he'd ended up in Japan of all places.

The day this wild adventure had all started was still clear as day for him. He'd been packing his things up for Christmas break, and he'd gotten a call from the office that he had a visitor. When that visitor had entered his classroom, Tommy felt like he'd been shot back the better part of ten years to when he'd first become a Ranger. The Baron had walked through the door to his classroom as if the man owned everything in sight. It was the same sort of air of confidence that Anton had often carried during his time as Mesogog, or if Tommy thought about it long enough, the same sort of arrogance Rita and Zedd had displayed in thinking they owned Earth and humans should bow before them.

The hour long meeting that had followed had left Tommy shaken deeper than he'd ever admit. The Baron had known all about his stint as the Black Dino Ranger as well as his stint as one of the legendary twelve original Rangers. The man had known about his teammates, known about the lives they led, hell, he'd even known about Zordon and how the original powers had come to be. No one outside of the Rangers' inner circle or those who'd been their enemies had ever known any of that. To have this ordinary man walk into his classroom and tell him he knew had shocked the hell out of him, a feat rarely achieved.

Shock quickly turned to anger and fear as the Baron demanded Tommy come to work with the Zephyr Foundation or risk exposing the Rangers' secrets. Tommy had responded in kind, telling the man to go to hell; it wasn't like anyone would believe that a bunch of high school kids could be superheroes. Tactics had changed by then, the Baron trying to suddenly come off as being in need of Tommy's help. The former Ranger leader hadn't been impressed by the man trying to play him, though Tommy could feel the power radiating from him.

The proof had been indisputable though, when the Baron had spoken of Tommy's life and his family, of the details only someone who had studied him carefully would know. The Baron spoke of the almost secret society that the foundation was, of the world leaders, kings, nobles, heads of state, who had all been apart of the Millennia old brotherhood. The facts had been stated – this was a world-wide organization that backed many of the world's top politicians, minds, businessmen, you name it. The Baron promised the former Ranger that he'd be able to save the world again, only this time not from the confines of a spandex suit but with the money, supplies and prestige afforded to him by the foundation. Nothing would be out of his reach in his quest to protect Earth. Before he realized it, he was accepting the offer, for so many reasons, but most of all because deep down inside, he only truly felt alive when he was off risking life and limb to protect the world he'd given up so much for.

Pushing back from the table in frustration, he stalked over to the balcony doors and leaned against the cool glass, watching as the storm outside began to rage, just like the storm inside of him was. After his last stint in spandex, he'd promised everyone that he wouldn't pick up a morpher again, and he'd kept that promise, but the decision to work for the foundation, it was almost as if he were stepping back into the role that had literally become his life. He was a Ranger, and no matter how many times he'd tried to step away from that life, it inevitably yanked him right back into it. Sighing, he knew one thing for certain – he was going to die doing something dangerous along the lines of saving the world. It was a fact he'd come to accept a long time ago.

But his frustration wasn't all that, nor was it that he could find next to nothing in the way of concrete evidence of these treasures he was supposed to find. As much as he hated to admit it, his serious lack of a love life was yet another reason he'd decided to help the foundation. After his Dino Thunder days were over, and Jason and Kat had gotten married, he'd started to finally see that his life wasn't as complete as he'd wanted it to be. Unfortunately, dating just didn't fit into his world; been there done that and had absolutely no permanent success at it. There had been few other women beyond Kat, and ultimately Kim, who had touched his heart enough for him to make the effort of putting his everything into the relationship, and the few times he had, he'd gotten stung more wickedly than either of the break-ups he'd had with his former teammates.

So, he'd come to an understanding about his life – love was not meant to be a long term part of it. All he had now were the haunting memories of his four years with Katherine and the mutual decision to go their separate ways, as well as the heartbreakingly shattered dreams of his first love, the ever-graceful Ms. Hart, and the way he hadn't been able to save the one thing that had been infinitely more precious to him than anything on this earth.

Lifting his eyes toward the sky, something abnormally familiar caught his eye. The former Ranger knew he had to be hallucinating as he looked across the expanse of the street to the building facing his room and saw an eerie pink glow free-falling from the tenth floor. Quickly, he pushed open the balcony door and rushed outside, ignoring the rain pelting him as he did. He watched in startled admiration as the pink glow landed on the sidewalk, turn toward the balcony, and then run away. It took Tommy two full seconds to realize it had been a woman, and deep inside, he had the sinking feeling he knew exactly who she was. Turning, he fled back inside, grabbed his room key, shoes, and coat, and headed down.

--

By the time he got across the street, the figure he'd seen from his balcony was no where to be seen. His mind said it was just an illusion and that he was stupid to be outside at two-something in the morning, standing in the rain, looking for the ghost of someone so achingly familiar to him. His heart said otherwise. Carefully, he crossed the street to where the figure had landed and was startled to find a small crater in the sidewalk. Crouching down, he ran his hand over the indentation, almost immediately recoiling with a hiss when power shot up his arm, causing his whole body to tingle in response.

He stood back up and stumbled back away from the crater a few steps, shaking his hand to ward off the tingling, and that's when he suddenly noticed the five figures emerging from the darkness. Normally, he would have just turned and went about his business, but the instincts he'd honed as a teenage superhero suddenly kicked into overdrive, warning him that even if he'd turned away, they'd have followed.

They didn't say a word, but as an experienced martial artist, Tommy heard the unmistakable sound of weapons being drawn in the darkness. His breathing sped up and his muscles tensed as he waited for the first attack. It came in the form of a large, sharp as hell Katana sweeping down from above. He managed to duck out of the way, and in the process extended his left leg to knock his attacker back five full steps. "Look, I don't know who you are, or who you think I am, but I didn't ask for this!" Tommy grumbled even as he felt the solid connection of one of their fists hit him mid back, knocking him to the ground, breathless.

Swearing under his breath, he rolled to avoid the strike of someone's foot. On his back, he brought his legs up in a scissor kick and extended both arms, tripping up three of his attackers, before he popped up back to his feet and landed in a fighting stance that was as familiar to him as breathing. One of them issued the sounds of what had to be their language and Tommy realized that it was the leader. He knew he'd have to get through the others to get to that one, so he immediately began looking into how to get one of the swords away from them. With a firm, practiced ki-yah, Tommy let loose a Tornado Kick that had the four attacking him falling back, one of them losing their grip on their sword. Swiftly, he raced forward and grabbed the sword, swinging around with it before viciously beheading one of them on instinct.

With grim satisfaction, he watched it explode in a cloud of dust. "I see," he muttered, then began to race toward the others that were left. He made short work out of the other three, the borrowed sword slashing against them faster than they had time to react. Soon, it was only Tommy and the leader, standing and staring at each other.

"You can not stop what destiny has set in motion." The sound of the voice wasn't loud, but it seemed to almost echo in all directions and reverberate through the area they stood in, almost as if in surround sound, permeating into Tommy's own being and sending a wave of chills up and down his spine. He took and instinctive step toward his enemy and the warrior seemingly blended back into the darkness, leaving Tommy standing on the street, chest heaving, while the rain pelted down on top of him, sword in hand.

"Damn it, why me?" he muttered before he turned and fled back toward his hotel, attempting to hide the sword in his coat as he raced into the lobby and up to his room.

--

Dawn came much too early for Kimberly's liking. She was curled up on a cot in the office of her shop, the sounds of her morning clerk opening the store echoing through the small space. Muttering a curse, she sat up and rubbed her eyes. She'd only gotten about three hours of sleep after running all over town, trying to make sure her tall, dark and creepy attackers hadn't followed her. Looking over at the clock on the wall, she quickly and quietly did a mental calculation to see what time it was in Los Angeles. She surmised that if it was eight in the morning her time, it was four in the afternoon the previous day in Los Angeles. Reaching over, she grabbed her cordless phone off her desk and punched in the number she knew like the back of her hand.

It rang three times on the other line before she got the answering machine and heard the familiar voice of her big brother. "You've reached Jason and Kat, we can't come to the phone right now, but please leave your name, number and a brief message, and we'll get back to you when we can. Thanks."

After the beep, she started talking. "It's me. Just wanted to let you know I'm still alive, still breathing. I ran into a little trouble last night, but I don't have the time to tell you about it, but I promise, I will back call soon. I'm heading back out to the shrine for a few days, and then I have to go on a trip. I can't give you the details, because I don't have them all worked out, but something's happening, something serious, and I may be out of touch for a while. I'd say don't worry but I know you two, and Sha, way too well to tell you not to. Let the others know I'm okay, and that I'll be in touch with someone before too long. I love you both, remember that."

With tears stinging her eyes, she quickly hit the end button and hung up the phone. She knew her big brother and her blonde haired friend well enough to know that her message would scare the shit out of them, despite her reassurance that she was okay. She couldn't help but think that it almost sounded as if she were saying goodbye because she didn't think she'd see them again, and in reality, she had to admit, she might not, despite her desire not to die. She was about to do something incredibly stupid, something that she'd be doing without any sort of other-worldly protection to keep her alive if she got in over her head.

A few moments of quiet later and she was heading back into her private bathroom to shower and change into a pair of spare clothes she always kept in the office. A half hour later she was making reservations for a train trip to the shrine and filling her morning clerk and her assistant manager, who had just arrived, in on what she wanted them to do in her absence. Once she was done, she gathered up her belongings, including her katana which was now in a special carrying case that she kept at the store, and headed for the train station.

--

The room was so quiet a pin could have been heard hitting the table, and for that, the room's occupant was grateful. Nightmares and dreams full of memories from a lifetime before had plagued him after his fight on the street with the five unknown assailants. Sighing happily, Tommy felt himself sinking back into a hopefully dreamless sleep when all of a sudden a hauntingly familiar melody began to issue from his cell phone. He threw a pillow over his head and tried to ignore it, but the more the phone rang, the more the song played, the angrier he got. He cursed under his breath, making a mental note to lecture Hayley about going along with Jason's hair-brained idea to have her and Billy put the damn song he'd used to summon the Dragon Zord in as his ring tone. "FINE! I'M UP!" he hollered at the phone, as if it were a live object before he snatched it off the nightstand and opened it. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?"

"Hello to you too," Jason's voice sounded across the line.

Tommy, even in his irritated state, picked up immediately on the tone of his best friend's voice. "What's wrong? Who's hurt?"

"I got a phone call an hour or so ago, but Kat and I were outside in the garage and didn't hear the phone ring."

Sighing, Tommy sat back against the headboard. "Who was it?"

"Tommy…."

"Jason, WHO was it?" The dread was coiling in his stomach to the point that he had the eerie feeling he knew why Jason was stalling in telling him.

"Kim."

Tommy swallowed the lump in his throat and took several deep breaths. His mind argued that what happened last night was just a coincidence and that it had nothing to do with her. His heart told him otherwise. "Is she alright?"

"I don't know," Jason answered. "She said she'd run into some trouble last night, but that she was okay for the time being. Said she'd call back later, but she also mentioned she'd be out of contact for a while. I'm worried."

"She's a big girl, Jason. If she's going to be out of contact for a while, you've got to accept that. It's not the first time you've gone a while without hearing from her," Tommy pointed out, hoping to get Jason to believe what he was saying even though he didn't believe himself.

"Tommy, you didn't hear the tremor in her voice," Jason whispered. "I don't like the way she sounded, like she was terrified but trying to hide it. I had Aisha listen to the message, and you should have seen the look I got from her."

The former Ranger leader swallowed. "What do you mean?"

"Aisha said she could only remember one other time when she'd heard Kim sound the way she did."

"And?"

"When Kim lost the power." Tommy's stomach completely dropped out on him even as his mind replayed the night before, the remembrance of the power that had shocked him upon touching the crater in the street rushing back. Now he realized where he'd felt that power before. "Tommy?"

Grabbing the pad of paper and pen from the nightstand drawer, Tommy sighed. "Give me Kim's address; I'll see if my guide can take me over there after breakfast." Dutifully, Tommy scribbled down the address as Jason recited it to him, hoping he'd spelt it all right since he wasn't use to Japanese addresses. "Feel any better?"

"I won't feel better until I know she's okay. Thank you for taking the time to go over there," Jason uttered.

"Yeah, well, just remember that when she decides to give me a tongue lashing for showing up unexpectedly. I'll call you later."

"Yeah, thanks. Be careful, Bro."

"I will." Hanging up the phone, Tommy stared at the piece of paper he'd just written on, his mind rushing through a thousand different scenarios, each one worse than the last. With a sigh, he got up and began dressing for the day.

--

"That address is in the building across the street," Motoki pointed out to Tommy the building where he'd seen the glowing figure the night before, as well as the five warriors.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, a headache welling at his temples. He should have known better than to think it was just his imagination the night before, especially when he'd tripped over the stupid sword sitting in his room. Opening his eyes, he saw the police cruisers sitting in front of the building and somehow instinctively knew they were checking out Kim or her apartment. "Motoki-san, I think you'd better come up with me, just in case I need a translator."

The Japanese man nodded and followed Tommy into the building. Quietly, they took the elevator to the tenth floor and got off before Motoki directed Tommy in the direction of the address on the slip of paper in his hand. When they got to Kim's door, it was cordoned off by police tape. 'What the hell is going on, Kim?' Tommy thought to himself even as Motoki moved forward to speak to the police detective, to explain who they were.

"Dr. Oliver, my name is Detective Sato," the man introduced himself with a bow.

Tommy returned the bow, as was custom, and watched as the man stood. "Did Motoki-san explain why we came looking for her, Detective?"

"No, sir."

"I received a phone call from a mutual friend of ours, someone who is like her brother, and he said he'd gotten a frantic phone call from her this morning."

The detective nodded and wrote everything down. "We have detectives heading downtown to her shop, we will find her before the day is over."

Tommy let out an amused laugh, which had the detective eyeing him. "Detective Sato, you won't find Kimberly if she doesn't want to be found, trust me on that. I've known her long enough to know that if she doesn't want to be bothered, she won't be. My friend seemed to think she was in trouble, the first thing she'd do would be to regroup, somewhere safe."

"Can you think of anywhere she'd go?"

"No, but I can give you my friend's phone number, he's kept in better contact over the years with her than I have," Tommy told him, taking a piece of paper from the detective and writing down Jason's name and number. "Tell him Tommy told you to call him." With that, Tommy and Motoki bowed to the man before turning and walking away. As they made their way down the hall, Tommy felt the anger welling inside of him. He'd gotten a good enough glimpse of Kim's apartment from the door to know that those things had attacked her in her own home before she'd fled for safety. The sudden welling of protectiveness took him by surprise, but only momentarily; when he found whoever had hurt her, he vowed, he was going to kick their asses into the next century.

--

With a sigh, Kimberly shifted in her seat as the two hour trip from Tokyo to Nagoya began to come to an end. She hadn't called ahead to let Master Tama know she was coming, but she knew she didn't need to. He'd know, just as Master Ito had always known when she was coming back to her first home in Japan.

When the train stopped, she got up and grabbed her things before heading for a taxi. Normally, she'd have taken her time and enjoyed the trip from the train station to the shrine, but today, she didn't have the luxury. Things were happening that were beyond her control, and she knew she had a limited time to prepare herself. Hailing a cab, she allowed the driver to place her things in the trunk while she got in.

"Where to Miss?" he absently asked.

"Atsuta Shrine."

With a nod, the cabbie sped off for the shrine. In no time, they pulled up to the grounds and Kimberly quickly paid the driver before getting out, grabbing her stuff and rushing into the Shrine grounds.

One of the priests at the gates recognized her and was about to say something to her. "I need to see Master Tama, it's urgent," she told him in rapid fire Japanese as he nodded and motioned for her to follow him. They quickly headed into the shrine in search of their query.

They found Master Tama in one of the many gardens. "Mana-zuru," he greeted.

Kimberly bowed to him and when she stood up, she looked him in the eye. "I need your help."

He nodded and motioned for her to follow him. "Tell me."

--

She had to blink to adjust her eyes to the low lighting in the room, which came from only two sources – candles that lined the walk and the large fire at the front of the room. After she'd explained the last few days to Master Tama, he'd silently led her to a room at the heart of the shrine, hidden from the eyes of the public and from most of the priests. They'd entered the room and he'd carefully made sure no one followed them before shutting the doors. He motioned for her to follow him, before making her stand at the end of the rows of candles while he moved toward an altar at the front, near the fire, that held a long sword.

"This belonged to Master Ito," he spoke softly, lifting the elegant katana gently from its perch. "He wanted you to have it, when your time to guard the treasures came to pass. Take the sword with you; use it to protect yourself, and the Imperial Regalia."

Kimberly sat on her knees, her hands lifting to accept the sword that he gently placed in her care. Her eyes were drawn to the sword with it's beautifully carved handle where a crane, a falcon and a wolf stood out proudly, and to the long, elegant blade that also bore engraved markings; she couldn't decipher the symbols, but for some reason, she had the sinking feeling that she probably wouldn't be able to, they didn't look like any she'd ever seen in a book.

"It's beautiful."

"And deadly, in the proper hands," he finished. "You are ready, Mana-zuru, there is nothing more I can do to prepare you. This final battle, if you will, is in your hands."

"But where to first? How do I even begin to search for them?"

His face was serene, not a hint of emotion played across his features as he spoke to her, "You must understand their power, and their purpose, before you can ever hope to find them, or wield them."

"But you said they're all here in Japan," she pointed out.

Master Tama gave her a look. "Indeed they are, but as I said, to use them, to find them, you must understand them. Go to Cairo; a professor of Japanese myths and legends is working on a project with her Egyptian counterpart there. She'll be able to tell you any information you must know surrounding their locations."

Blowing out a deep breath, Kimberly nodded. "I need to get in touch with my contact, and have him arrange for my transportation."

"The shrine's facilities are at your disposal, Mana-zuru."

--

Issuing a surprised whistle when she stepped from the limo onto the tarmac of the airport in Tokyo, Kimberly couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed by the Baron and his desire for the Regalia. Part of her felt slightly guilty for using him and his resources to find the pieces, but she knew, in her heart, that she would not surrender them to him when they were finally all together. If what Master Tama had said was true, they'd be used in keeping the Earth and its people safe, not locked up in some crazy fool's private collection. Of course, she knew that at some point she was going to need an escape plan, and on the long flight to Cairo she was going to come up with one.

"The other members of your team are already waiting on board," the driver told her as he carried her bags toward the plane, where a man stood at the base of the stairs that led up into the private jet.

"Welcome Ms. Hart, to the Zephyr Foundation's Falcon 900EX," the man who took her bags from the driver. "I'm Carlton, the flight attendant. If you'll follow me, we'll get you settled and you can meet the rest of your team."

Kim nodded and followed him up the staircase. When she got inside, she let out another nice whistle at the interior. "Nice."

"Ms. Hart, allow me to introduce Cameron, your translator; Simon, the security specialist, and Trask, you're all around pack mule for the mission," Carlton announced, pointing out the three men who were in various positions around the cabin. "And the final member of your team is coming back from the bathroom now. Allow me introduce Dr….."

"Tommy?" Kim gasped, her eyes taking in her long time friend in shock.

"Kimberly."

Carlton grinned. "I take it you two know each other?"

Kim just nodded, her eyes still boring into Tommy's. "What the hell are you doing here?" she muttered.

"Working, you?" Tommy asked in the same annoyed tone.

"Working."

The two of them simply stared at one another, wondering just what in the hell was happening. "Okay boys, and of course the beautiful Ms. Hart," Carlton announced, never noticing Tommy or Kim's flinches. "Captain says it's time to sit down, get comfortable. It's going to be a sixteen hour trip, since we'll have to stop and refuel."

Jaws clenched, the pair sat down on opposite ends of the cabin, both lost in their own thoughts of why they were on the plane together and neither liking the answers they came up with.

--

The heavens bled God's tears in the form of a raging storm. Even in the rain-drenched back alleyways of Tokyo, a tall, menacing figure in black stalked toward his destination. With his team decimated, their loss had no effect on him. They were but foot soldiers, dispensable in the search for the artifacts. Their deaths…the deaths of anyone…nothing was above sacrificing to retrieve the artifacts. His reconnaissance mission was a total success. The information gathered would be an invaluable asset in his search for the artifacts.

His red glowing eyes were dead set on the ancient, crumbling ruins of what once had been a prison where Japan's worst murders, rapists, child killers and thieves had been sentenced to spend the rest of their natural lives, only to be executed for their crimes. The evil that radiated off the walls had drawn his master to this place; it had reeked of the same power that their home world had.

Despite the howling of the wind and the lashing of the rain against his body, he pushed forward, entering the darkened ruins. The second he stepped foot inside, a fierce, echoing howl rose up, swirling around him. The stench of rotting flesh and the soul-shaking screams of pain echoed up around him. Any normal person would have fled under such conditions; not him. He was a member of the Shadow; he did not cowl in fear or run from death. With purpose, he strode toward a secret opening and fled into the bowels of the prison.

The drenching wetness of the rain had stopped the second he entered the tunnels below the prison. The Shadows had come to Earth in search of what was now known as the Imperial Regalia of Japan, so his master had naturally set up their stronghold in the bowels of Japan's capital city. For more than a year now they'd been working toward building their army, strengthening their defenses, and getting use to Earth. Agents had been sent here over the last several thousand years, ever since the artifacts had been taken by their guardian and hidden on this remote, cluttered world with its insignificant inhabitants. Now, it seemed as if the planets and stars were aligning.

He strode down the deep, dank corridors with purpose, his eyes taking in those around him. Members of the Shadow trained in combat before their team leaders with weapons, hand to hand, and those few special groups with secondary powers. He nodded his approval to many of the trainers as he strode past them, his steps carrying him to the room at the farthest end of the corridor. He stood before the door, reached out a hand, and pulled the rope, causing the bell inside to chime. The door swung open, allowing him entrance.

Once inside, he bowed deeply before his master. Dressed in black with purple and green swirling across his armored uniform, his muscular frame was taller than all of his minions. The mask he wore showed only his red glowing eyes, and ever so often smoke would billow out from within. "Report."

"Success. She fled, after putting up a decent fight," he grinned beneath his mask.

"And the man?" his Master's voice boomed as his red eyes bore into his servant's soul.

Standing, he began his report. "He attempted to take me on, but I came back before he could. He possesses great skill."

"And their identities?"

"Two of the Eltarian Wizard's whelps, now nearly powerless."

"Nearly?" came the question.

He nodded. "I sensed a connection to the Universal Morphin' Grid, barely there, certainly not enough to help them, and something else."

"What?"

"Ninjetti."

Blood red eyes narrowed in anger. "Ninjetti? They are extinct."

He shook his head. "Master, I am the last of us, besides yourself, to have felt that power. I know it intimately. They possess a link to the Ninjetti. How, I cannot say, but they do."

"And Zephyr?"

His face went grim. "On Earth, as we speak. He has finally come out from hiding. Both the male and female are working for him, for now."

"No doubt he has tricked them, but soon enough, they will discover his treachery, and they will be ripe for the picking. Leave me."

With another deep bow, he carefully backed from the room.


End file.
